By Syed Mussarat Khalil
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH/RIYADH — Pakistan’s embassy in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah celebrated the country’s 79th National Day with traditional fervor.
In Riyadh, Chargé D’Affaires Muhammad Zeeshan Ahmad hoisted the national flag.
In a speech on the occasion, Ahmad commended the Pakistani community for bringing honor to the country and realizing the dreams of its founding fathers to attain glory for the nation.
He read out the messages of President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan. “We are committed to democracy, justice and peace. We have incredible capabilities in terms of human and natural resources. Our aim is the attainment of a modern democratic state that was envisioned by the founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah,’ the president said in his message.
“We are endeavoring to make Pakistan an Islamic welfare state. We are resolute in creating a society that is based on compassion and where people are free to pursue their aspirations without being subjected to any discrimination,’ said the prime minister.
A large number of people from the Pakistani community attended the ceremony.
In Jeddah, Consul General Shehryar Akbar Khan hoisted the national flag in the presence of a contingent of Pakistan Army and Navy.
The National Day of Pakistan is celebrated every year on the 23rd March to commemorate the achievement of the Muslims of the subcontinent who passed the historic “Pakistan Resolution” on this day in Lahore in 1940, which culminated in the creation of Pakistan after seven years.
In his speech on the occasion, Khan paid tribute to the Pakistan’s defense forces for proving their mettle and courage in defending the motherland.
He said the new government in Pakistan was paying increased attention to overseas Pakistanis. He mentioned the Pakistan Citizen portal, a newly initiated rapid grievance alleviation mechanism that aims to address the problems facing Pakistanis.
He also discussed the initiative of “Pakistan Banao” Certificate for overseas Pakistanis, saying these certificates gave overseas Pakistanis the opportunity to directly participate in the development of their country.
Khan said 2.5 million Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia were a dynamic part of the Pakistani overseas community and they played a major role in promoting the country’s relations with Saudi Arabia.
An 85 percent reduction in the visit visa fee by the Kingdom benefiting Pakistani expatriates speaks volumes about the brotherly relations between the two countries, Khan said. He said Saudi Arabia was the highest investor in Pakistan after CPEC project. “Today, a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan is an important destination for foreign tourists and investors alike,’ he added.
Khan said the consulate was providing the best possible services to the community. Last year an average of 2,000 Pakistanis were given various services on a daily basis. Dues worth 80.6 million rupees were recovered through labor courts while 430 million rupees was recovered in blood money through Shariah courts in the Kingdom, the consul general said.
The program started with the recitation of Holy Qur’an. Deputy Consul General Shaiq Bhutto read out the message of the president and Consul Fouzia Fayyaz read out the message of the prime minister to the audience. Children of Pakistan International School, Aziziyah, (PISJ) presented songs commemorating Pakistan Day. Head of Chancellery Atif Dar was the master of ceremony.
